Agriculture

Agriculture is the primary economic activity of most of the world's people, and yet many countries cannot produce adequate supplies of healthy food. Deficiencies in the quantity and quality of food can cause serious health and economic problems.

Peace Corps Volunteers help farmers improve local diets and increase income through farming techniques consistent with environmental conservation. They work with communities and farmers on projects such as implementing agroforestry techniques to improve soil quality and conserve water, fisheries, beekeeping and honey production, organic vegetable gardening, and nutrition education. Agriculture Volunteers also work with farmer cooperatives, nongovernmental organizations, and agribusinesses on basic business practices, crop and livestock production, organizing networks of farmers, and conducting production cost-and-price analyses. Through a partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. (FAO) Agriculture Volunteers support food security programs and work to improve food production, distribution and access.

The Peace Corps' agriculture programs attract Volunteers with a variety of backgrounds. Many have a bachelor's degree (in any discipline) and a strong interest in agriculture and gardening, while others have specialized degrees and experience in agricultural and animal sciences and agribusiness. Volunteers without degrees have relevant experience from jobs or personal endeavors.

If you can offer a more detailed description than this standard description the Peace Corps offers, please feel free to include that so others can get a better idea of what certain work areas consist of.

Contributions to the Agriculture Fund support one of the most basic needs of communities worldwide – safe and sustainable food production. Agriculture projects target areas such as community food production systems, pesticide safety, crop production, animal husbandry, apiculture, agriculture marketing, farm economics, and formation of agricultural cooperatives. As food security continues to be a global concern, it is imperative to support communities’ agricultural development.